The Music Industry is fraught with cases of squandered talent due to artists’ problems with substance abuse. So many young talents are squandered due to problems with drugs like cocaine, heroin and the likes thereof. Just think about the wildly talented Kurt Cobain ? However many of us focus on the “harder” drugs when problems can often start with some seemingly much more harmless and legal ones. As musicians, we often need to work long hours and burn the midnight oil in order to finish gigs or hold up two jobs to support our musical passions. “Caffeine Addiction” Is this fact or a myth? When we speak about someone with a caffeine addiction we normally assume that they are drinking too much coffee. However caffeine is not only present in coffee but is also found in tea, energy drinks, pain pills, the common cold medication and diet tablets. The fact is that caffeine is in itself a mild pain reliever and also aids the effectiveness of all other pain killers.

We need to ask ourselves the question, is caffeine addictive?

Basically caffeine is a stimulant but if used frequently can result in a minor physical craving. This could cause symptoms like headaches, vomiting, nausea or mood swings. Unlike other addictive drugs caffeine does not endanger your physical or social well-being. If the user should stop using caffeine for a short time, they will experience certain withdrawal symptoms such as:

Headache

Tiredness

Anxiety

Depression

Concentration problems

This type of withdrawal only lasts for a few days and is not as harmful as that of serious drug users. For this reason many experts believe that frequent caffeine use is not a serious problem. There are an abundance of world class Cape Town rehabs available to those who feel they may be sufferers. More than coffee, I think energy drinks should be used with more caution. Drinking these beverages for use in sports is one thing, but consuming more than one on a normal day may lead to some physical problems.

Can caffeine cause lack of sleep?

Caffeine has a very short life span and after 5 hours 50% has left your body. After 8 hours, more than 75% has been eliminated. So if you drink coffee in the morning you should have no problem with sleep in the evening. If you drink coffee later in the day, according to your metabolism, you may experience insomnia to some degree.

Can caffeine increase the risk of Osteoporosis, Heart Disease and Cancer?

It has been proven that a daily dose of caffeine of three cups per day has no harmful effects on healthy adults.

Osteoporosis: Research has shown that a high intake of caffeine 7 to 8 cups per day will cause the risk of bone loss to increase. However if just two tablespoons of milk is added to the coffee the loss of calcium is minimized.

Heart Disease: There is a very slight increase in heart rate and blood pressure when caffeine is consumed. But research has shown that cholesterol and cardiovascular disease has not been the result of excessive caffeine intake. However if the person has high blood pressure or cholesterol it is beneficial that they limit the amount of caffeine intake per day.

Cancer: In recent times research has shown that caffeine may actually prevent certain cancers.

Is caffeine harmful to pregnant woman?

Studies have shown that if a pregnant woman consumes a cup or two of coffee per day it has no effect on her pregnancy at all. Caffeine is not linked in any way to miscarriages, birth defects, premature birth or low birth rate. Call any of the drug rehabilitation centers in Cape Town if you are unsure of whether your coffee intake is abnormal and are concerned for your unborn child.

Has caffeine got a dehydrating effect on its users?

Consumption of caffeine just as any other drink will result in the urge to urinate. So caffeine taken in moderation will have no greater effect on dehydration as any other liquid drink.

Is caffeine harmful to children?

Children up to the age of 6 years should not consume any caffeine. Children between the ages of 6 and 9 can consume ½ cup of coffee per day without any effect. But if today’s children consume more and more of energy drinks this can become a problem as their caffeine content is excessive. This can result in the child becoming anxious and irritable and may even end up with a crash. Basically caffeine is not good for children. Starting out in consuming too much of a stimulant like caffeine could lead to other dependencies and health issues later on in life.

Does caffeine have any positive health benefits?

Many coffee drinkers will tell you that caffeine helps them to stay alert, concentrate better and have more energy. Researches have suggested that caffeine has the ability to reduce the risk of the following disorders:

Parkinson’s disease

Liver disorder

Type 2 diabetes

Dementia

A lot more studies need to be done in order to confirm the above statements and risks. However it must not be forgotten that very high levels of caffeine in your system may have harmful effects.